Chapter 7:
No, wait.
What is going on here?
“Stop it.”
I was sitting at the edge of the path, clutching my upset stomach, eyes wide open.
Had he finally grown tired of me?
—No, that wasn’t it.
The one cutting me off with a blast of cold air was…
The blue-haired knight standing beside him. Uncle’s aide, Sir Leon.
“His Grace hasn’t had a proper night’s sleep for days.”
His strict eyes fixed on me.
We were on the carriage ride from the capital to the North.
And I was… ridiculously motion sick.
It was the third time I’d had to bolt out of the carriage because I couldn’t handle the unfamiliar motion. I couldn’t bring myself to get back in.
“Uncle… can we ride horses instead?”
I asked if I could ride with him on horseback instead of the carriage.
‘Wait… Uncle hasn’t been sleeping?’
Looking closer, the dark circles under his eyes and the roughness of his skin… ah, it’s because of me.
I realized it belatedly.
All throughout my illness, my sleep-wake schedule had been irregular.
But at no point was he ever absent from my side—he only stepped away briefly.
‘Because I refused the help of anyone else…’
A duke-level person had volunteered to serve me, while neglecting himself.
“This is the third time we’ve stopped the carriage, and if this keeps up, we won’t make it in time…”
“Leon.”
Uncle growled lowly.
“Where did you learn the habit of saying what shouldn’t be said?”
“I apologize, Your Grace, but—”
“Step aside. Enough.”
“Ah, wait! Hold on!”
I couldn’t stand the tense atmosphere and shot my hand up.
“Why?”
“Blue-haired sir is right! You need to rest too!”
I wriggled to get out of Uncle’s arms, which was awkwardly holding me.
Huh? Why won’t I move? I could normally jump down easily.
“I don’t need rest.”
“No. You’re tired!”
“Tired?”
He snorted.
Okay, okay, I know. Of course, the continent’s top sword master must have stamina that never falters and a body that won’t break!
Still, good sleep and proper meals are the basics of a human life!
“Don’t be stubborn. Sleep in the carriage. I… Sir Leon!”
“Me?”
“Yes! I want to ride with you. Take me!”
“……Huh?”
For the first time, the knight’s composed face showed a flicker of surprise.
“Rubi, I’ll just—”
Uncle’s arm tightened. I shook my head firmly, refusing.
“Everyone, tired people sleep inside, those who can’t handle the stuffy carriage ride outside ride horses!”
I came up with a conclusion that made everyone happy.
“Ah… this is better.”
On horseback, with the wind brushing every inch of me, I breathed in deeply.
Of course, that bliss didn’t last long.
‘Ugh… so hard… uncomfortable.’
I twisted and turned on the stiff knight’s horse, but no comfortable position appeared.
‘It was so cozy with Uncle on horseback…’
It really was cozy. I’d even fallen asleep.
But it wasn’t just me—Sir Leon also squirmed around.
“……Is this right?”
A short sigh escaped from above.
“Are you uncomfortable anywhere?”
From head to toe!
Still, I shook my head with a smile. I didn’t have the nerve to complain about such rough riding.
And…
I actually wanted to make a good impression on Sir Leon.
‘Leviathan Uncle’s aide.’
I, having read the original story, knew better than anyone how genuine his loyalty was.
A comrade who shares life and death. A vassal who would dive into hell for his master.
So it didn’t bother me if Sir Leon treated me a little coldly. After all, we were basically allies protecting Uncle Leviathan.
“Why did you decide to follow His Grace?”
A deep voice came from behind.
“Uh… Uncle picked me up.”
“If you think becoming a duke’s adopted child will make life easy, wake up from that dream.”
…Do you have to say that to a kid?
Well, I’m not exactly a kid, but still…
“The Geberts aren’t the paradise you think they are.”
A stickler for rules, so precise it borders on cold—Sir Leon was the epitome of a knight.
Even the perfectly squared uniform betrayed no crease—it was textbook precision.
‘The complete opposite of Uncle.’
The hero sleeping snoring behind us had likely lost some military medals, if not his uniform.
“Is the North really that dangerous?”
“The Gebert Duchy was built on land cleared of monsters. The beasts constantly try to reclaim their territory, so the land is perpetually under attack.”
“……”
“It means war all year round.”
I knew. Having read the original story, it was the perfect background for a protagonist worthy of the title “A Sword Planted on Ruins.”
For reference, dark beasts are monsters created by dark mages, while wild beasts occur naturally.
‘Wild beasts… and dark beasts…’
Thinking about how hard Uncle must have worked these past ten years made my stomach churn.
“Sir Leon…”
I forced myself to shake off my thoughts and focus on the conversation again.
I felt a gaze from above.
“Does Uncle want me to go back?”
“Because a child as small and weak as you wouldn’t survive there.”
Was there a hint of kindness in that? Maybe I was overestimating him.
“I’ve heard that a lot from that reckless uncle of yours too.”
“You dare speak rudely to His Grace…”
“I won’t be a burden. Don’t worry.”
I looked straight ahead. The cliffside road seemed endless.
But I knew. One day, the path would end, and so would everything else.
Humans are the same—finite life, ending in death.
But if you want even a little bit of a dignified end… is that selfish?
Not as a victim of the second war caused by the resurrected dark mage. Not at all.
‘I’ve survived this far anyway.’
Uncle Leviathan, Sir Leon, and I.
“Of course, I won’t let it harm the master Uncle is loyal to.”
“You…”
A vein bulged on Sir Leon’s hand gripping the reins.
Then—
“Ugh.”
The usually composed Sir Leon suddenly grabbed his own shoulder and groaned.
“Huh? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing… really.”
Nothing? His arm is trembling…
‘No way…’
I raised my hand.
“I can’t take this. I’m getting off! Hey! I’m getting down now!”
“Stop the unnecessary fuss and be quiet…”
Sir Leon, sweating coldly, tried to stop me. What on earth had he done to get in this state?
“What’s wrong?”
The carriage stopped with the short commotion, and Uncle leapt out.
“Uncle, Sir Leon’s hurt!”
“What?”
“The shoulder—right side!”
Naturally scooping me up, Uncle frowned at Sir Leon.
“Leon, hasn’t the injury fully healed?”
“No, I’m fine.”
A short silence followed his calm tone. Then Uncle let out a long sigh and ordered all movement to stop.
“Set up a camp. We’ll rest here.”
“Your Grace! I’m fine! We can’t afford the delay…!”
Sir Leon acted like some catastrophe had occurred. His clenched jaw looked oddly anxious. Seeing that, I couldn’t help but move my lips.
“Sir Leon… listen.”
“……”
“The war’s over.”
Our eyes met. Only then did I hurriedly finish my sentence.
“So, what I mean is… there’s no need to rush while enduring pain. We’re not going to fight, um…”
“……”
“…We’re just on our way home.”
Well, it’s someone else’s home, but…
At that moment, like magic, the tension drained from Sir Leon’s body.
“Is that so.”
Uncle, listening quietly, patted the crown of my head.
“By the way, Leon, it’s a military offense to hide your condition from your superior.”
“T-That is…”
Twisting the reins, Sir Leon bit his lip and bowed his head.
“……I apologize. I was thoughtless.”
He obediently dismounted.
“Rest.”
Uncle patted his broad back.
While Sir Leon reflected, our quick Gebert knights set up camp in a flash.
I quietly perched on Uncle Leviathan’s thigh, watching.
“Oh?”
Something caught my eye.
“Rubi, what are you sneaking off to—”
“Oh!”
I had crouched in the corner of the campsite.
The swaying grass was something I hadn’t seen in ages.
‘As expected… Abelita herbs!’
A shy pink flower peeked between jagged leaves. The surrounding blue aura was the herb’s own magic.
‘Good for bruises and pain relief.’
I reached out my hand, knowing exactly how to harvest it.
Suddenly, a sharp motion sent my hand flying back.
